Hello All,
Shortly I will stop publishing the Central Coast Country Music Gig Guide. I'm just not finding enough quantity of country music on the coast as in the good old days when we had both the usual country music gigs all over, plus the weekly knockout shows at Wyong RSL and The Bay Sports Club. Keep watching the appropriate sites for Bill Chambers at Erina, the great shows occaisionally at Mingara, Belmont 16s and many others.The quality of shows is still there, just not enough quantity to warrant a whole website. For travelling to Sydney, Sundays at Marrickville are great, plus the best monthly country music show in Australia at Canterbury-Hurlstone Park RSL. When you are in Melbourne, be sure not to miss the massive country music scene at many pubs including Pascoe Vale RSL, Victoria Hotel, Caravan Music Club, Victoria Hotel, Union Hotel, Retreat Hotel, Lomond Hotel and many others. See you at Tamworth!
Brad

Sunday 12 June 2016, Lee Kernaghan, Doyalson Wyee RSL Club.

13 - 14 August 2016, Central Coast Country Music Festival, Beccy Cole and many more, The Entrance.

For central coast country music fans, any other time 'ur needin' some country, it ain't live but it is great country:2SSR Sutherland Shire Radio Association 99.7. Listen online athttp://www.serverroom.us/asx/listen271101.asx94.1 FM 24/7. The 94.1 playlist is here and shows every artist for every song. Some of our favourite artists recently played on 94.1 are below. For a very interesting selection of tracks, check out Tubby's show Wednesday 6pm to 9pm, Kaza Mon and Wed 9-11, Daniel Thompson, New Country with Jane Kellaway Sunday 2 pm to 3 pm; 3-6 Robo; Fri 6-9 Phil McGee, Sun 6pm - 9pm. But every weekday morning you can catch Chris James and his fantastic selection of songs and interviews 6-9am.97.3 FM Mondays 6am to 9am.96.3 FM Sunday 9:05am to about noon Mike Kennedy, and Tubby Dyer Tuesdays 6pm to about 8pm.94.9FM Australian Bush Balladeers, Wednesdays, 7-9pm; Kinda Country Saturdays, 3-6pm93.3 FM Tuesdays 1 to 3pm a great mix of country from Ken.

The Central Coast Country Music Gig Guide covers live country music gigs in and around the Central Coast of New South Wales (NSW), Australia. We cover from The Hawkesbury to Lake MacQuarie.

Who appears in this gig guide? Live country acts for sure. A country act with a country pedigree, and country awards but plays mostly pop/rock at live shows; probably not. An act whose live act's only "country" songs are The Gambler, Sweet Home Alabama, and Copperhead Road, definitely not. Our objective is to never have one of our readers drive the length of the Central Coast to a "country" act only to find the country star is doing mostly pop/rock; we have been disappointed in that way many times.

NASHVILLE REPORT - March 2015. Time Jumpers on Monday nights still the best show in town. Traditional country music at Roberts Western World still great (Josh Hedley, Rachael Hester etc). Eskimo Brothers rockabilly at The Wheel just fabulous. Might not get out the rest of the visit due to 10 mm of ice from freezing rain topped with 100mm of snow and temps not expected above freezing until tomorrow.

Gympie Muster - Fabulous weather (for once..) and fabulous entertainment. The only drawback was the sound men that continue to ruin the country shows by turning up the kick drum and bass guitar to deafening levels. Doug Bruce band has gotten even better and was our favourite act of the whole muster. Doug somehow had his sound man under control. Bill Chambers had to tell his sound man repeatedly to turn down the level on his stomp box before it happened. Well done Bill!

Bakersfield Glee Club We've been trying to see the band for ages and finally got the chance Saturday at he Union Hotel. They didn't disappoint! Lots of country songs including Crazy Arms, Please Please, and Four Walls. They ticked all the boxes: no music stands, a few instrumentals, some original music, mostly country songs, steel guitar, etc etc. Well worth catching them next time they play.

Glen Campbell withdraws from 2012 Australia tour due to illness.

Big very long weekend. Sunday we did a round Robin of country music and saw Leslie Avril, Hogbelly Morton's Country Revue and The Perch Creek Family Band then on Anzac Day eve Mooney Valley Drifters. Leslie was fantastic, Hogbelly Morton was an excellent show with lots of country classics, Perch Creek was fabulous and Mooney Valley just wonderful.

Well Done Hallam Hotel! The Hallam Hotel is once again sponsoring the Country Music Round Up on Good Friday, 6 April from 2pm. Last year this event was fantastic and raised money for Royal Children's Hospital. This year - The Prairie Oysters, Ruckus, The Blackhill Ramblers, Adam Toms, Brittany Pavlo, The Dalton Gang, Twyce Daily, The Bonafide Travellers, Susan Lily, The Bay City Hostiles, Danielle Hogan, Andre Camilleri & The Broken Hearts, and Nia Robertson Trio.

FM 94.1, Gosford, Central Coast, NSW Wins 2012 Australian Country Music People’s Choice Award ‘Most Popular Radio Station'. We always knew that station was good. Now the world knows! No matter where in the world you are, you can listen to 94.1 here.

Gympie Muster 2011: We had a fantastic time in the mud at the Gympie Muster. A few of the excellent acts we saw were Beccy Cole, Kasey Chambers, Doug Bruce, John Williamson, Troy Cassar-Daley, Catherine Britt, Bill Chambers, Amber Lawrence, and Luke O'Shea. We, and the huge crowd that gathered, also really enjoyed a quickly put-together band at The Grove (to fill in for a changed act) consisting of Peter Cooper, Glen Hannah, Mal Lancaster and Andy Toombs as the reluctant but excellent lead singer. The music and the humour was fabulous.

Nashville June 2011 Once again Nashville exceeded our country music expectations. We aren't big fans of the CMA events (or the crowds) but one festival event we attended many times was the daily Tomkins Guitars showcase at The Sheraton Hotel; fantastic performers from Australia and in the audience (even if they weren't performing) were several other of the top touring artists from Australia. The huge number of Australians seen around town was stunning. We did the usual thing as written about previous trips below, basically Broadway between 4th and 5th plus The Station Inn. This time:
-Monday night Station Inn and the Time Jumpers. Dawn Sears singing Sweet memories with Paul Franklin on steel and Vince Gill doing backing vocals has to be the live performance of the century.
-Gary Gibson (The Wheel and The Stage) our favourite singer.
-Craig Cutis (Legends) Dave Cox (Roberts) and Pork McElhinny (Roberts) our favourite solo artists.
-Brazilbilly (Roberts) the best show on Broadway.
-Top Bands: Gary Gibson (The Wheel and The Stage), Kevin Stover (Wheel), Zack Neil (Wheel and Crossroads), Jake Mauer (Tootsies), Monte Siler (Legends), John England (Roberts), and David Tanner (Roberts)
-Also Seth Hopkins and Monte Good.

14-15 May 2011, What an awesome weekend of country music even though the Kingston Festival was cancelled. Belltones played quite a bit of old time country, Leslie Avril - tremendous as usual with guests Jodie Bell and Bobby Bright, Luau Cowboys -good old boys playing very laid back hillbilly music, and Waz E. James- Alt country with tremendous musos. Fan Tastic!

Hallam Hotel The Country Music Round Up on 22 April was absolutely fabulous with the best country music plus raising lots of funds for the Royal Children's Hospital. Thanks Hallam and everybody involved. Artists included Doug Bruce & The Tailgaters, The Prairie Oysters, Ruckus, The Aaron Daniels Band, The Blackhill Ramblers, Phoenix, Adam Toms, Nia Robertson, The Hannafords and Jan Dandridge. It was a perfect day of country music except that for the last few hours when the sound man's mix was more suited to a nightclub at 3am. More here.

McClymonts We caught the McClymonts show at Crown and they were excellent. Also a great sound man who knew how to present country. If you get a chance to see them before they head off to America, they are well worth it.

Nashville August 2010, Music is better than ever in Nashville with less rock, less bad country, more good country bands. See previous scribblings on Nashville in this column but add Buck McCoy Legends Sunday, Scott Hisey The Wheel Thursday, and Buddy Owens Crossroads Thursday. Usually our only music off Broadway is the Time Jumpers on Monday but we also got to see Raul Malo (Mavericks), and Daryl Singletary at Douglas Corner ; both fantastic shows..

Patti Torrey, Springville Inn, 4 August 2010. If you happen to be in the US, North of Los Angeles on a summer Wednesday, be sure to stop in the tiny town of Springville for Patio Night at the Springville Inn, just an hour North of Bakersfield (Bakersfield is the home of Buck Owen's Crystal Palace). Great food, great country music, fabulous atmosphere at The Springville Inn.

Adam Harvey and Wendy Matthews: Fantastic show. Both Adam and Wendy put on fabulous performances and when both were on stage music was just stunning. Awesome musicians including a keyboard player who was sensational. Thanks to the sound man Noel who mixed perfectly. Noel, please offer your services to the Whittlesea festival; they need your help.

Blue Water Festival Port Stephens 2010: We didn't get to see much at the Blue Water Festival but what we did see was superb. The Bill Chambers, Sandra Humphries, and Catherine Britt show was excellent (and sold out) plus we really enjoyed Michelle Little and band, a very polished confident country singer.

Kingston? Saturday 29 May 2010. We had not heard of the Kingston Harvest Festival but when we saw the lineup, well, it had to be attended! Leslie Avril, Peter Baylor & The Roadhouse Romeos, Aleyce Simmonds, Felicity Urquhart, Gatorbait, and Ian Moss, for just a gold coin donation. They were all fantastic. Peter Baylor (we hadn't seen him before) takes you back to, say, 1955 with a bit of rockabilly and country. And what a great sound man; mixed country like country should be mixed and rock like rock should be mixed...Whittlesea Festival should hire him! The festival is held near Carrum, South of Melbourne.

Byron Bay Blues Fest Report: Friday: Awesome artists including Joe Bonamassa, Buddy Guy, Troy Cassar-Daley and Hat Fitz but by far the most entertaining show was Rockwiz. If you ever get the chance to go to the touring Rockwiz, it is a must!
Saturday: Old Crow Medicine Show, John Mayall, Warren H. Williams, Jon Cleary, Johnny Greens Blues Cowboys, Joe Bonamassa (yes again), and Lyle Lovette, all just fabulous today.
Sunday: Taj Mahal (he still has IT at 67) Peter Green, Eugene "Hideaway" Bridges (great show ruined by a feral sound man), Wagons, Ray Beadle, Jon Cleary (yes again) and Jessica Mauboy who were all excellent.
Wrapup: So many awesome musicians but our top pick for the most entertaining act was Rockwiz and Joe Bonamassa was our favourite artist.

Gary Browns Bluegrass Arvo 21 March 2010. Another fantastic 4 1/2 hours of bluegrass. Well worth the trip to Sydney. Next show is Sunday 18 April.

2010 Frank Ifield International 'Spur' Award was won by Johanna Hemara. www.frankifield.com. Johanna is appearing at the Central Coast Country Music Festival on Saturday at 11am at the Budgewoi Soccer Club.

Patti Torrey, Springville Inn, 19 August 2009. If you happen to be in the US, North of Los Angeles on a summer Wednesday, be sure to stop in Springville for Patio Night at the Springville Inn, just an hour North of Bakersfield. Great food, great country music, fabulous atmosphere.

Amber Lawrence at Lizotte's 19 July 2009. What a fantastic show by Amber. That was top entertainment with her original hits, excellent covers, and songs off her new album to be released in late August. Thanks also Amber for bringing a band of top musos: Rod Motbey, Aaron Pye, Simon Johnson with Dan Conway on rhythm guitar. A big thanks too for the enjoyable demonstration of adults-only tambourine playing. Amber will be at Canterbury Country on 13 August 2009. If you haven't been to that show, what a great opportunity to catch Amber and the best monthly country music show in Australia.

Jason Lee, Club Tuggerah 28 March 2009. "Now THAT is country music!" Jason's band mostly covers the very best American and Australian country songs. Great players in the band and his vocals are superb. If you haven't seen Jason, get out to one of his gigs soon! We also bought his EP and highly recommend you spend the $10 for some great music to take home. Sun29 March 2009 Beresfield Bowling Club 5:30pm. Sat 16 May Wyong RSL 2pm.

Troy Cassar-Daley and Adam Harvey at Mingara 28 November 2008 doing all their favourite classics. Absolutely Awesome!! If you missed this night, and you like the classics sung by a couple of the best country singers in Australia, you better get down to the Blacktown RSL tonight 29 November 2008 and cough up your $35.
ring of fire
good hearted woman
stopped loving her today
most beautiful girl in the world
luckenbach texas
mama tried
7 spanish angels
hey good lookin
gambler
lights on the hill
okie from muskogee
behind closed doors
old dogs,,, watermelon wine
before the next teardrop falls
on the road again
And many more
Some gig guides are reporting that Troy is playing on the 6 and 13 Dec Adam Harvey gigs. According to Troy's and Adam's web sites, this is incorrect.

Nashville - We spent this week in Nashville and thought we'd give you our tips for visiting music city. Our emphasis is on traditional American country music. Except for a visit to the Opry and Monday night, there is little need to go anywhere else but Broadway between 4th and 5th. There you'll find at least 4 acts starting before noon, about 8 acts playing by 2pm, and more in the evening. Start at The Wheel and Roberts Western World. But the best way is to poke your head into all the honky tonks and go back to the one you like best. Be sure to visit Tootsies at least once. On Monday nights, you must go to The Station Inn for the Time Jumpers; probably the best music in town. When on Broadway, don't get stuck in a bar with a band doing rock; just leave and find some country! My top picks are: Gary Gibson (usually at The Wheel), Monte Good, (The Wheel and Roberts), Brazil Billy (Fri and Sat nights at Roberts Western World), and Wednesday 7 pm at Legends Corner (Monte Siler and the Short Notice Band). The Time Jumpers start at 9 pm but get there by 8:30 if you want a seat, and get there by 8:15 if you want a good seat.